Aftermath
by Ruler of Destiny
Summary: In which Lexa watches the Hundred become grounders, and Clarke accidentally finds herself kinda sorta proposing to Lexa.
1. Chapter 1

_**I know a lot of you were hoping for an update for Echo, but 1) I work a ridiculous amount of hours so time is scarce, and 2) I had this idea that wouldn't leave me alone. If you spot any glaring errors, let me know. I typed most of this on my phone, and everyone knows what autocorrect is like. I may not have caught all the mistakes. If you have any questions or need clarification about anything, just PM me.**_

It started four days after the mountain assault, a day that had already become infamous among the warrior nations. There had been many lost in the battle, and many more injured. The twelve tribes returned to their homes to recover and mourn.

But they had won. After years of living in the shadow of the mountain, years of watching their loved ones stolen away, watching as some came back in the ranks of the feared Reapers, her people were free.

A season ago, she would have sneered at the idea that she would be relieved to see many of the Sky People rescued. A a season ago, they had been enemies, and she would have killed them all on sight

There had been no talk in the aftermath of the battle. The Sky People took their injured and retreated to their camp, only a select few opting to rest at Tundc. That night, smoke and fire could be seen at the peak of the mountain, and her people spat in the direction of that place of horrors.

The world quieted afterwards, as it always did following the end of a war, as if it were regaining its breath. For a precious time, they were allowed a period of rest.

Seven days and six nights after the battle, and four after the last of the Sky People departed, is when it all began.

"_I need to learn more about this land._"

The Sky Leader, without an escort and without an announcement, strode into her tent, confident and determined, boldly expressing her desire to understand their world. Lexa had been curious, for she sensed that there was more to Clarke's sudden appearance than met the eye. Her sky person counterpart was far more daring in their interactions than all others she had known. It should have been an insult to her status, and many of her people no doubt considered it so. She also knew, however, that Clarke's actions and strength had earned her a grudging respect from the tribesmen.

It was only that respect and the weight of the Commander's order that persuaded the healer, Atlia to teach her ways to the former enemy.

At first, Clarke would come, alone, every few days, spend most of the daylight hours throwing herself into learning and teaching in turn (though Atlia would never admit it) before being escorted back to her camp. Two weeks later, she was staying for several nights at a time, watching and questioning the Commander on the details of the other tribes. Their conversations would last long into the night, as Clarke absorbed every nuance of the relationships between the ever warring nations.

It was only after many nights of sensing the intrigued stare of the other during the daily warrior training did the Commander suggest she begin expanding her knowledge to include sword work. She agreed with little hesitation, increasingly reluctant to return home. The stray thought that perhaps the sky person had simply begun to prefer "grounder" life was considered, and quickly dismissed. Clarke was obviously holding something back. Waiting until the strange behavior showed no signs of stopping, Lexa demanded an explanation.

"_I went back with Monty and destroyed any file we could access in Mount Weather. We demolished all the medical equipment. We found every auto-destruct program on the computer that wouldn't completely bring down the mountain and harm the Tondc, and set them off. We left nothing. We destroyed the radio tower and the control room. My mom - the Chancellor, didn't agree with it._"

The shrug and set jaw that accompanied the confession led her to believe that the other leader did not spare a guilty thought for her action. Considering what she had observed of the dynamics in the sky camp, Clarke was no doubt using her genuine desire to learn about the world beyond as an excuse to escape a tense atmosphere. Clearly, the power struggles between mother and daughter had never been laid to rest.

Lexa had remained silent while she thought over the possible future complications this could result in, though there were none too alarming. It was not long before the other's mask crumbled, just enough to let the commander catch a glimpse of hesitation.

"_What the Mountain Men did to my people is unforgivable. The mountain shall forever be stained with the blood of my people, haunted by the spirits of those whose lives were stolen. It is a cursed place, and all things within it are best forgotten._"

With that, the hesitation disappeared, replaced with a relief and determination.

"_Now then. Tell me about the Ice Nation_."

It occurred to her then that her opinion mattered very much to Clarke.

After that night, there was no pretense. With little fuss, the leader settled into the camp, making only a few visits to her people for the sake of appearances. The transition on the ark's end could not be said to be so smooth, if Clarke's visible anger upon her every return was sign enough.

What she didn't expect, but in hindsight should have, is that where Clarke went, her people followed. In this case, a majority of the remaining Hundred, as they called themselves, began to accompany the woman back to the Tondc. First only one or two, then five, then many more when no deaths resulted from their intrusion, not that they should have honestly expected any.

Her people grumbled, protested under their breath, spared them no goodwill, but the sky people refused to be intimidated (much), emboldened by the way their leader had made a place in the tribe for herself, and by extension, them. They watched in awe as Octavia triumphed battle hardened warriors, cheered when Bellamy returned with hunting parties, gasped at the audacity of Clarke constantly charging, or more often hobbling fiercely, into the Commander's tent as if it were her right to do so.

Soon, some of the Hundred even took initiative. They threw themselves into chores, joined scavenger units, learned how to build, or cook, or create weapons. The more daring ones trained with the warriors, spurred by the memories of their helplessness first against the Tree People, then against the Mountain Men. Before the season was over, the Hundred had added a handful of huts to the village in an area they termed "Hundred Lane", making themselves at home during the visits that lasted longer every time.

"_I want to search the rest of the crash sites from the ark._"

She was unsure of what drove Clarke's sudden urge to recover the fallen remnants of her former home, but she was reluctant to grant the permission. Many of the crash sites were dangerously close to borders she had no wish to cross. There was also the constant danger of Pauna, the great beasts that lurked among the trees.

There was no true reason to deny the request, and lure of additional supplies in the face of the coming cold season gave her an excuse to send her second best unit with the sky group. Lexa could not go herself, having travels of her own to do, as required in her position as Commander. There were alliances that needed to be tended to, villages to be checked on.

They two groups set off mere days later, and upon reaching the destination from which the groups would separate, she privately left instructions for her people to keep watch on Clarke. There was a very real possibility that the young woman would get herself into a dangerous situation, with her headstrong nature.

Five days after they set out, without sending a runner ahead, the recovery group returned with Clarke at the head, and the carcass of a Pauna being carried behind her. It was one of the four legged beast variety, a jaga with claws so sharp they could slice through a man's limbs, innumerable razor sharp teeth, and a black pelt of hardened fur that only the sharpest of swords could penetrate.

The sky leader marched up to the Commander, the picture of repressed annoyance, stopping to proclaim her challenge just outside the range that would be considered mutinous.

"_I don't need to be protected_."

Lexa was presented with the carcass as a declaration that the other did not appreciate being treated as inferior. She accepted it with amusement and pride, and not the slightest amount of shame at the discovery of her orders. When her people told her that the blonde had abandoned the bodyguards and stumbled upon the creature, she found her orders to be fully justified.

The meat was shared with the entire camp, with much celebration. The Hundred were much livelier than the her own people, turning gatherings into much louder spectacles than they once were. The boy Monty also had much of that drink that acted almost like a drug. She made a mental note to put it under ration, as it made her warriors useless, stupid, or both.

As was the right of the slayer, Clarke was given the skin of the beast to keep. It was some time before she decided it was to be turned into a fearsome cloak, attached to a mask that mimicked the creature's face. The mask flaunted an artistic flair that only Clarke could have created, with painted designs in the style of the Tree Clan's tattoos, and bits of metal sewn in to create a truly terrifying visage. It was a creation worthy of being donned by a leader.

She had not anticipated finding herself being confronted (again) by the blonde, who handed over the cloak with a mere "it fits you better" as an explanation.

The act cemented the friendship between the Tree Clan and the Hundred. The very next morning, the remaining Hundred who had not fully committed themselves to "grounder" life chose disciplines to learn. Her people readied themselves for the task of teaching these newcomers the ways of survival.

It was a welcome shift, for Lexa had many concerns rising about the alliances with the other nations. There was something at play here, she sensed, and the suspicion that war was about to start anew took root.

But that was the way of life on the ground. Battle was inevitable. She could only prepare her people for what was to come. For now, there was no immediate worry, and they could not make a move without more knowledge. Scouts were sent to the borders, and she waited. The sky leader was not so calm, but finding herself unable to help she let Lexa convince her to continue with the searches.

Clarke's group returned after a full week, laden with supplies, fresh kills, and as much useful material they could scavenge. As she was later told, the group found little of interest at the crash site, but had stumbled upon a hidden building that housed weapons, clothes, and many other things. The village had a feast to welcome them back, passing around the prizes of the trip as the group shared stories of the Pauna they encountered, and of stray Reapers who had gone fully mad at the loss of the Red.

In the dying embers of the fire, after many had succumbed to exhaustion, Clarke seated herself at the Commander's side, a presumptuous action that would have had her people calling for her blood less than two seasons ago. It was a testament to how far the two tribes had come that her people hardly spared the sight a glance. It was accepted that the sky leader alone had that privilege, so long as she was not a threat.

A sword was revealed.

"_I found this in the building. The claws of the bird Pauna we fought hardly dented it. A sword this good should go to the one who will use it best. The original wrappings were rotted, so I had them replaced with the skin of the jaga I had left. The feathers are just for show, but I want to add some to the mask. They're red, to match your scarf._"

She swung the gift, impressed with the balance of the sword. It was heavier than her previous favorite, the one that had been lost in the gora den. The feathers were tied to the end of a small metal chain that dangled from the top of the hilt. The grip was crafted well, feeling comfortable in her hand as she twirled the blade in a blazingly fast set of moves. The feathers turned into a red streak that she thought she could grow to like. It was a little bit of showmanship that lent itself well to her role as Commander.

The spectacle drew the attention of the few remaining people in the area. They observed the interaction with silent interest.

Lexa finished the display with a flourish, and fixed an impressed yet questioning gaze upon the enemy turned friend. As usual, words were not needed for Clarke to understand.

"_If the Ice Nation does begin a war, we're going to make sure they know just how fearsome the Commander of the Trigedakru is._"

Clarke gave her a confident smirk, the glow of the fires reflected in her eyes, and for a moment she forgot to breathe. It was only a moment, and when it passed the Commander returned the smirk.

"_We aren't quite done with your spirit yet, Lexa._"

She laughed, and tried not to smile too widely. She didn't say thank you out loud, but there was no need to. Clarke understood the message in her eyes.

A few days after the party returned from the second trip to the hidden storage building, both to clear it out and to mark the area as a hiding place for their warriors, the sky man Kane arrived at the village. He spent the day observing the Hundred and how they had assimilated in the Tondc with a smile. Most were wary of him, but Clarke and the rest of her inner crew welcomed him. He brought news from the sky camp, and some materials he had salvaged from a trip to the Mountain.

Clarke tensed when he mentioned that cursed place, but there was no censure in his voice, only understanding. He revealed that the Chancellor had ordered the place to be searched and scavenged, but that there had been little of use left. Lexa wondered if the sky people planned to eventually relocate to the Mountain.

That, however, was not the worst news. In the privacy of the meeting tent, he revealed his real reason for the trip. The Chancellor, it seemed, wanted the Hundred back. The adults had expressed concern for the children, a term that caused all present to scoff, and their dwindling amounts of visits from them. It was only for a week, he assured, but even as he said that, there was a tic in his jaw that told anyone perceptive enough to catch it that he did not agree with the order.

The sky leader narrowed her eyes, anger rising at the audacity of the order from the woman who had consistently challenged her authority and knowledge of the ground. Lexa, sensing trouble, rested a hand on Clarke's shoulder and squeezed it while stepping so close she could feel the heat of her body. It was an effort to root the angry teen back to reality. It worked, for the blonde let out a deep breath and physically relaxed, though the anger continued to simmer within her.

Neither moved throughout the rest of the discussion, not even when the others filed out. Once they were alone, Clarke sighed and leaned against the Commander. Lexa could not say that she found the position unpleasant.

"_Thank you. I was about to punch him._"

The Hundred were less pleased at the sudden order than their leader was. There were many arguments and scowls, and it was a sullen, defiant group that left the next day.

Lexa herself was less than happy at the turn of events, but that did not mean that she wasn't going to take advantage of it. With the departure of the Sky people, she decided it was time for a little hunt of her own.

Leaving orders for a scout to keep watch on the sky camp, she left in search of a Pauna that lived past the mountain borders. For the occasion, she even donned the cloak that Clarke had given her, which caused many of her warriors to hide knowing smirks. She had been Commander for too long to experience an emotion like self-consciousness, but she may have unconsciously pulled the cloak tighter before shouting the order to head out.

The hunt was unexpectedly difficult. Tracking the beast had lead to the unfortunate discovery that an entire group of them had settled in the area. They were outnumbered two to one. The group very nearly lost a warrior, and she walked away with a new wound on her shoulder that was sure to scar.

It was not all in vain, however. The large brown animals would provide plenty of meat for their stores, and the thick shaggy pelts would make wonderful covers during the cold nights. The claws would undoubtedly be added to the armor of the warriors.

The triumphant group returned to a restless Tondc in the early morning, before the sun had fully risen, exactly seven daya after it had departed.

The Hundred had not returned.

Her scouts bombarded her with the reports before she was even within sight of the village. Everything had been normal, they said, until the sixth night. All the sky people had been ordered inside the ark when darkness fell, and in the morning many of the people began to pack up their camp. Not a single Hundred had been seen.

Her people were worried, demanding that she take the warriors and raze the camp to the ground for this. Part of her wanted to do just that.

Most of her was simply amazed at the concern her people showed for their former enemies.

With the lack of emotion that she was famed for, she ordered her villagers to take care of the carcasses, and gathered a group of warriors to make the trip to the sky camp. Scouts were sent ahead so that they could report her arrival to those watching the camp, and to quickly alert the Commander of any changes.

Underneath her cold composure, her anger raged.

A scout intercepted them near the end of the trip, a scowl on his face. The sky people had abandoned camp, carrying many unconscious Hundred with them. Including Clarke.

The warriors with her growled, and she had to fiercely control the urge to slaughter the sky people. With barely concealed anger, she quickly made a plan to cut off the traitorous group and surround them with spearmen and archers in the trees.

The Chancellor was not surprised to see the Commander and her troops. She recognized the man that had once been prisoner with Kane standing behind Abby. The sky people halted, the armed guards fidgeting with their were smart enough not to aim at any of her people right away, but she could see that they were seriously considering it. They must have rightly assumed that there would be other warriors hiding in the trees. Lexa looked down on the sky people from atop her horse with condescension and her full fury. Judging by the way many stepped back from her, she imagined that the cloak worked just as intended.

Her plan turned out to be unnecessary, as before they could strike, the seemingly unconscious members of the Hundred at once rose to disable the guards, while the rest disarmed the guards that herded them along. The attack was swift and flawless, a testament to how far they had come along in their training.

The atmosphere changed when the sky people realized that their children had just turned their weapons on them. Few would actually shoot, but the act itself was significant. Abby ordered them to put down the weapons in vain. The Hundred looked to Clarke, then Lexa for orders. With a tilt of her head, she let Clarke take the lead. These were still her people, after all.

"_You can leave, but I'm staying where I belong. I won't order any of my Hundred to stay. It's their own choice to make. They are, however, traveling back with me to Camp Jaha, where we are going to dump the guns. You can come back for the guns and whoever decides to go with you tomorrow._"

Clarke ignored her mother's attempts to plead with her that turned into orders to stop this insanity. Several parents tried to join in, but all were met with hard faces and silence. Most did not speak, unsurprised at the turn of events. Kane and Raven (who had point blank refused to relocate) were among them.

The Commander could see that there was something off about her and the rest of those who had been drugged. She could see hands and legs trembling, and a quick glance from Clarke confirmed her suspicions. Whatever drug had allowed them to waken was wearing off, and they were at the edge of collapsing.

Taking the initiative, she directed her horse to Clarke's side and pulled the blonde up into the saddle without hesitation. She shouted for the mounted warriors to grab those who had been drugged, and for the rest to follow. No resistance was attempted as the poisoned teens were taken, no protests sounded when the rest walked away without looking back.

When the sky people were no longer visible, Clarke slumped against the Commander, strength completely wasted in the short fight. Lexa pulled her tightly against her body, keeping her from falling off the horse. The rest who had been drugged were in similar conditions.

"_I don't know what they gave us, but Monty said it would wear off in a day or two. Kane and Jackson gave us something that acted like adrenaline before we left, but it started to wear off an hour ago. You sure took your time coming to our rescue._"

There was no censure in her voice, only teasing, but a small sliver of guilt wound its way into her heart. She should have been there sooner. But it was no matter. No people had been harmed, and she had better things to do than waste her time on regret.

"_Rest Clarke. We will be home soon enough_."

None of the Hundred had chosen to leave with the sky people. There had been no hesitation when they dropped the guns in the middle of the ark camp and went inside to retrieve their weapons. Those that were capable of moving hurried with the scouts back to the village while those carrying sick passengers followed at a slower pace.

A feast was waiting for them upon their arrival. Her people must have started it hours ago, never doubting her eventual success. The mostly unconscious teens were quickly moved to their huts and administered antidotes for the drug. They were left to their rest while the others celebrated (far more wildly than usual) the success of the day.

When Lexa finally turned in for the night, she was greeted with the sight of Clarke in her bedroll. She raised an eyebrow and nudged the intruder with her foot, taking the time to enjoy the view. The girl mumbled and woke up with a groan, striving to focus her vision, then noticed that she wasn't alone. With a small huff, Clarke met Lexa's gaze.

"_Was too loud. Wanted quiet_."

Laughing softly, she decided that she could forgive the blonde for stealing her bed. She did desire sleep though, and the only option was to share. Clarke hummed when she slipped under the blankets, instinctively curling into Lexa's arms.

Love is weakness.

Clarke was undoubtedly a weakness, but she could not find it in herself to care in this moment. The Ice Nation would soon be threatening her people, and there was a cold season they needed to prepare for, but for right now, she would enjoy this night. The rest of the world could wait until morning.

**~Bonus~**

"Nice cloak, Princess. It almost makes you look scary."

Clarke ignored him while she held the muzzle of the mutated bear pelt closer to her face. "This thing would have eaten you for breakfast, Bellamy, and Lexa took it down by herself. If anyone is scary, it's her."

Octavia snorted from her position at the end of Clarke's bedroll. "We could have told you that before."

The blonde leader smirked in agreement, throwing the cloak over her shoulders to test the fit. For the sixth time that hour. It really was a nice pelt. The fur was thick and surprisingly soft, unlike the hardened fur of the jaga pelt that she had given Lexa. It was a dark brown shade that blended in with the trees perfectly, _and _the Commander had gone so far as to have small pouches for her healing herbs and tools made. She had felt like a child in an art shop when she noticed them, instantly starting to plan where she would put everything.

"So…" began Octavia, "is it all official now?"

"Is what official?" Clarke mumbled absently, still examining the bear's face. Metal designs wouldn't look as good on the bear pelt as they did the jaga pelt, but she had plenty of blue and green feathers from the bird beast that would really stand out against the brown fur.

"The medieval courtship thing you've had going on."

"Oh." Their leader blinked. "Wait. What courtship?"

The dark haired siblings shared a look of fond exasperation.

"Yours." Bellamy started.

"And the Commanders." his sister finished.

They both enjoyed the sight of the normally in control leader blushing bright red.

"I'm not. What! We aren't even!"

"Uh. You saved each other's lives on the Mountain."

"And then you came running straight to her after your big fight with your mom."

"Hold up. I came to learn from their _healer_. At first." she interrupted.

"She gave you bodyguards."

"She lets you challenge her all the time!"

Clarke scowled. "Because she can, you know, slit my throat in the blink of an eye. I'm not much of an actual challenge."

The two laughed.

"Clarke, you gave her _gifts_. Not tributes or offerings like normal, but legitimate gifts that you earned in battle. The day you gave her the pelt is when you unofficially declared your intentions for her." Octavia explained eagerly, more excited about the so called courtship than Clarke was.

"All the other villages knew about it within a day. It was the hottest piece of news since the alliance." Bellamy wouldn't stop smirking, and he laughed at the face she made at the idea of grounders gossiping.

"Guys, it wasn't like that. I was just giving her a gift! I wasn't trying to, to, _declare my intentions_."

"The sword was icing on the cake. Word has it she even _laughed _when you gave it to her."

"She didn't really laugh. It was more like a...chuckle." A small, breathy chuckle that had made her speechless nonetheless, but it was the smile that was far more memorable, because it had been the sweetest thing she'd ever seen.

"..._Right_. Well. Anyway. The fact that she went on a hunt specifically for a bear pelt to turn into a matching cloak was an act of reciprocation."

"Which was kind of unnecessary once she more or less claimed you in front of all of the Skaikru and Trigedakru."

Clarke chose not to comment on her once co-leader's unconscious use of the grounder terms.

"No you're misunderstanding. She just got my signal that we were a lot weaker than we were making ourselves seem. If she hadn't acted as soon as she did, we would have fainted. You should know Bellamy, considering you _did _faint, two minutes later."

"I mean, come on, half the village saw you leaving her hut the next day."

Clarke huffed and stumbled over her words. "I didn't! I mean. I did, but it wasn't anything like. We were just sleeping! And I was only there for a few hours, since she kicked me out of bed when I elbowed her in the stomach. Not that it was my fault. She didn't need to go that far." Her voice trailed off into an angry grumble as she recalled the entirely unfair reaction.

"So you're saying that you _don't _love the Commander?" Bellamy crossed his arms and tried not to laugh disbelievingly.

"...I…"

"TOOK TOO LONG TO ANSWER! So when are you going to have a ceremony? They usually don't require one, but since you're gonna partner up with _the Commander_ it's kinda necessary. A lot of the outer tribes are going to want to come for the celebration too. It's gonna be _huge_. Almost as big as the Ascension Ceremony. We'll need about three days to hunt for all the food. And if we want the really good stuff, we'll need a few more to get to the other side of Mount Weather. You'll have your cloaks, so no need for ceremonial garb, thank god. " Octavia went full on wedding planner, and Clarke was horrified to realize she had been thinking about it for months.

"You are such a child! There isn't going to be one!"

"Deniiiiaaaaaal." The Blake siblings chanted as she stormed out of the hut.

She fumed, mentally cursing the two for unsettling her so easily, cursing herself for being unsettled, and cursing Lexa just because this was really all her fault in some way. The curious looks she earned for her stomping went unnoticed in her state. She didn't know where she was going, but anywhere was good as long as it was away from those two, and definitely away from…

"Clarke. Has something happened?"

The blonde was embarrassed to realize that the pitiful squeak that sounded had come from her own mouth, and even more embarrassed to realize that she was three feet away from Lexa's tent.

_Great job, feet_.

But she had to admit, it was hard to stay mad in the face of laughter shining from grey eyes, or that hypnotizing smile so rarely shown.

"Are we courting?"

Just kill her now.

Lexa blinked. "I am not familiar with that term."

"Courting. Dating. Going out." None gained a reaction. "Partners!" This time her eyebrows raised. "For life! Like. Together. Married!" The look didn't change. "You know. Joined? A union?"

_That _got a reaction, though she wasn't altogether proud of finally getting her point across.

"You refer to a relationship, yes?"

"Ah. Yeah." She felt a little, well, a lot stupid for somehow skipping that word.

The Commander leaned her weight back and furrowed her eyebrows in thought. Then, she snorted. "I suppose that is one way to interpret our actions." A smile pulled at her lips as she shook her head. "Ignore it. They will speak as they want. It is a curse of being Commander that my actions are often over-speculated."

"...Right."

"Was there anything else?"

"...No."

Somehow, Clarke wasn't satisfied with that answer.

It took two days of avoiding any sort of human contact before deciding what she wanted to do about it. All she needed was her sword, her bow, and the Blake siblings, who were more than happy to be part of her plan.

So it was that a week and a half later, the former delinquents trudged back to camp weary, bruised, and bloody, but victorious. The three dragged the carcass of a sea creature like the one that had attacked Octavia on that memorable day, except bigger, bluer, and a hell of a lot meaner.

Also able to slither onto land, they had discovered to their horror. They were glad that there were no other warriors around to witness what was probably the most shameful moment of their lives. A vow was made to never speak of it again, and chagrined looks were shared the entire trip back.

But hey, at least they were victorious, right?

That was the only thought in their minds when Clarke called for the Commander, went down to one knee, bowed her head, and held up her weapons, completely giving herself to the other.

The entire camp cheered when the offer was accepted after a breathless minute. The carcass was taken to be prepared and warriors ran out to other villages to spread the news.

Everyone was ready for the celebration, except for the losers of the village wide bet, who scowled as they handed over their items to Monty.


	2. Big Blue

_**In celebration of Aftermath getting 100 favs (and a shoutout to **__**Cribellate**__**, who was the 100th person to favorite the fic) I wrote this thing up in a hurry. I was going to anyway, but now you get it faster! Enjoy.**_

"Okay. I get this whole "need to make a statement and show your prowess" deal so that you can win the undying love of the Commander, who is pretty scary actually but to each her own."

"_What, _Bellamy?"

"Now I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the idea. Really. But seriously. I really think we need to reconsider our plan."

Octavia and Clarke looked at each other in annoyed exasperation, then at Bellamy.

"We _had _a plan, Bel." Octavia started.

"But since our hunter can't hunt." Clarke continued.

"You have to deal with it." They both finished.

Bellamy glared. "That boar was unnaturally smart, okay! That doesn't mean that _I _have to be the damn bait!"

Octavia rolled her eyes and, tired of waiting for her brother to man up, pushed him off the ledge and into the lake several feet below them.

"Nice." Clarke muttered approvingly. "Does he even know how to swim?"

"Nope."

"...Oh. Well. Good. All that flailing around will attract it faster."

"Aaaaaand there it is. I'm going to enjoy this."

"Bellamy, get closer to the shore! It's coming!"

Octavia and Clarke readied their arrows, waiting for the creature to come close enough to the surface that they could get perfect shots. Octavia in particular was itching to kill the creature. She was more than ready to get revenge for the time she was bitten by one, way back when they had first landed.

"Did Indra give you any more information about this thing?"

"Just that it's a bitch to kill."

Clarke gave her a sideways look and huffed. "Helpful."

"She's not one for long explanations."

Finally it came close enough to the surface that she could see the blue of its scales. Bellamy was now chest deep in the water, with his sword out in case things went south.

"Now!"

Two perfect shots landed.

Red blooded dirtied the water.

The creature screamed and lifted itself out of the water.

It was big. It was blue. It was _pissed_.

And it had _two heads_.

"Uh. Octavia. _What the hell is that_?"

The dark haired girl squeaked and instantly sent another arrow in the creature. Below them, Bellamy ran out of the water cussing in a mix of Trigedakru and English. Clarke had just enough time to think that maybe this was a bad idea before it turned on them.

The two girls threw themselves away from the head that struck at them, but completely forgot to account for the second head. Before they even realized that they had been hit, and that they were still in midair, they hit the water in two painful splashes.

Underwater was a bad, bad place to be. That much Clarke knew. Her eyes struggled to see through the blue void she had found herself in, desperate for air and all too aware of the fact that this creature could grab her at any second.

Breaking to the surface, she managed to get one deep breath of air when something struck her in the stomach. Her gasp was ill timed, and she got a mouthful of water instead of the precious air she needed. She choked, frantically trying to keep herself afloat.

_This was a _really _bad idea._

Next thing she knew, her leg was caught by the sharp teeth of one of the heads, and then she was being lifted midair. Upside down, dizzy, and still coughing, she desperately grabbed her small hunting knife and pulled it out. The creature threw her up, ready to catch her in its mouth. Without taking the time to plan, and hoping to god that she could reach, she slammed the knife into the eye of the creature just as she got within range. The creature reared back in pain, teeth catching on flesh and cloth. Still holding on to the knife, the blonde sky girl was pulled back with the head, until her grip failed and she was flung further into the lake.

Clarke ignored the burn of the wounds, bracing herself for impact. She hit the water, skipping along the surface for several feet before sinking under again. Within her muted underwater world, she faintly made out a garbled scream. When she made it to the surface again, the creature was nowhere to be seen.

Octavia was further away in the water, and Bellamy was on the shore, bow in hand. The water calmed, and the two girls slowly made their way back to land, mourning the loss of their bows.

They all collapsed at the edge of the water, too overwhelmed to do more than try and catch their breaths. All three refused to look at each other as they silently took stock of their reduced weapon cache. Octavia still had her knives and sword, but Clarke was down to her smallest hunting knife, and Bellamy still had all of his weapons.

"Octavia." Clarke began, staring out over the water. "I don't think that was the kind of creature we saw last time."

"...No. I don't think so either."

The water in the middle of the lake bubbled, and the creature rose again, screaming in anger. All of them jumped and scrambled back into the safety of the rocky area just before the forest, eyes wide in alarm. It swam towards them, then ducked back underwater.

"The next time your chief gives you information, can you get a little more than "it swims and is hard to kill" please? That'd be great." Bellamy gasped out.

The three former delinquents shared a tired, defeated look.

"Maybe we should rethink our plan and come back later."

"I agree."

"Totally."

As one, they turned away from the shore, carefully maneuvering around the slick rocks.

Behind them the water rippled.

There was a splash.

The creature rushed from the water.

It rushed _out _of the water.

They screamed.

Their desperate attempt to get away was ruined as Clarke mistimed her jump and fell, Octavia tripped on the rocks, and Bellamy, who had gotten as far as the tree line, stumbled and smacked his head on a branch when he turned back around to help the fallen two.

The creature, apparently, had a good memory, because it went straight to the one that had taken out its eye. Clarke pulled her last knife and hoped that she could pull the same trick twice. When it struck at her with both heads, she rolled to the side at the last second, feeling the rocks add even more cuts to her collection, striking out with the knife.

The thing screamed again and slithered back. She watched as blood poured out of the wound in a disturbingly thick stream. It shook its head, painting the entire area red. Soon enough, the thing grew weak, and it lay on the rocks, bleeding out.

None of the humans dared move for several minutes, content to wait until they were sure it was dead. After it had stopped moving for a time, Bellamy shot it with an arrow, just to be sure.

It didn't so much as twitch.

"So um. That was something."

"Clarke, next time you want to impress your future wife, give her presents. Normal. Presents. Like flowers. She leads armies of super strong warriors. I bet she'd like flowers."

"Funny, Bellamy."

They stared at the sea creature again, now fully able to appreciate the twenty foot scaled monster with two heads.

"...How the hell are we going to carry that back?" Octavia asked in the silence.

"I didn't think that far."

Hours later, sea creature cut and wrapped in Bellamy's sacrificed tent, they swore to never speak of the details of this hunt to anyone for as long as they lived.


	3. Hiding

**_Another short one for you guys. I had planned to make more progress on the bigger fics (I have three in the works and wasn't _that _a stupid idea), but then I caught the flu and...yeah. I was a miserable mess for five days, which, incidentally, were the days I had the most time to write. Yay life. This is more fluff than anything. I'm going to try and get the bigger stuff worked on before I post more for this, but before more people ask, yes, this is complete. The first chapter is all I had planned and wanted to write. All these little things are just bonus and will be posted as I please, but they aren't necessary for the main story. Sorry~ But I have a direction I want to take Burden that will eat up a lot of my time once I get it started. Look forward to that!_**

It had been a long day. In between scouting reports on the movements of the Ice Nation near her borders, as well as reports on their movements in other lands, and the hassle surrounding the ceremony, she was sure that she had never been so busy outside of official wartime.

She enjoyed walking through the village, being greeted by nods and a respectful "Heda", by the adults, at least. The children were more likely to either grin widely at her or look away in embarrassment. Many had been sent to smaller villages for the duration of the war, and upon hearing of the defeat of the Mountain Men, her acclaim, and that of Clarke's, had grown.

Exponentially.

It was quite common for either of the two leaders to be watched or mimicked by the younglings, and it had been the cause of many a smile, and many an accident from overzealous "Mountain Mean vs Heda and Clarke" reenactments. With the current atmosphere in the village, all adults agreed that the biggest danger they faced now was trying to walk through camp without being run over by an over excited pack of children. Until the ceremony was finished, Lexa figured that she would have to endure the spontaneous crashes around the village, followed by an angry warrior yelling, and children shrieking.

She could not say that she disliked it, in all honesty. Death was a constant companion to her people, and so any moment that they were allowed to truly live was a precious one. For a long time after Costia, she hadn't allowed herself to relish those times, had not thought she even remembered how, but she was again learning to. And it was all thanks to a girl who fell from the sky.

A sky girl who had defied all odds, survived when most others would not have, who had the courage to challenge the Commander of the army that was at her gates and ready to destroy her people.

A sky girl who was...currently in her bed.

Complaining was the last thing she was going to do, because Clarke being in her bed was everything she could want. The Commander had half a mind to discard her armor right there and simply climb in next to her soon-to-be partner, mate, bonded. Whichever term the sky people preferred.

Now was not the time to indulge, however, and this situation was not completely without trouble. No, now she could only lean her weight back, rest one arm on her hip, and the other on the handle of her sword, and ponder.

"Clarke."

A mumble sounded from beneath the pillow.

"It is not yet dinner."

A shrug moved the furs slightly.

"Are you ill?"

A groan that was half exhaustion and half disgust was her answer.

"Do you wish for me to acquire food?"

A hum.

She smiled. "I will bring you some meat."

The faint "thanks" was barely heard as she exited the tent again.

Children shadowed her path as she made her way to the fires. Her guard rolled his eyes, but chose not to comment. One of those children was his own, after all.

At the fires, she spotted Indra and her second, the latter looking half mauled in a way that left her assuming the former had trained her hard, and headed for them. The children behind her dispersed in search of food, as did her guard when she dismissed him.

"Heda. Did you need something?"

"Your second."

Indra raised her eyebrows, and Octavia straightened.

"I need a report gathered from Vison, near where we have seen movement from the Ice Nation. Lincoln is familiar with the village. I am sending you with him."

Octavia's expression became questioning. "Only two?"

The girl was smart, but she already knew that. "Five in total. The village is small with few warriors, and have requested an escort for their travel to Tondc. A pack of new Pauna have been moving into their territory. If all goes well, it should only take three days in total."

If there was any way to peak the young warrior's interest, it was to mention the possibility of seeing new animals. It was a common attitude among the sky people, one her own did not fully comprehend. Clarke had once explained that there were no animals in space, and that to see them now, even mutated versions, was just another part of the joy they had in being on the ground.

It was understandable, she supposed, but her people had been fighting these constantly changing threats since the bombs fell. They changed with every generation, becoming faster, stronger, more of a danger. The animals were as quick to adapt as the humans were, and that left them eternally at odds with each other.

And then there was the unchanging situation of humanity being at war with itself. Political or outright, battle was a part of human nature that not even the destruction of their world and radiation could change.

Though some battles were far more harmless than others.

"So," Lexa said as she entered her tent for the second time, now laden with food, "what has Octavia done that was so torturous as to send you into hiding? A feat not even the Mountain Men could accomplish."

Clarke groaned loudly and threw her pillow at the intruder (that the sky girl was the real intruder was pointed out in the safety of her own mind only). The pillow missed by some three feet, but that was ignored when the blonde sat up, scowling terribly.

Lexa tried not to find it adorable, but really, who was she kidding? It was adorable.

"She's relentless! I thought my mother was overbearing after the battle, but!" Here Clarke stopped in silent rage, mouth opening but her emotions so overwhelmed she could not find the words to express herself. "I know she's excited, and is just waiting until she earns her marks for Lincoln to propose."

Propose? Is that how the sky people termed it? Interesting, that they would equate an alliance with a bonding.

"But she's driving me crazy! And worse, Indra is right there with her! If only so she can teach me all the rituals and history behind the ceremony and what every breath I take during it means!"

Ah, yes. Indra was bound and determined to ensure the sky girl did not embarrass her Commander with her lack of education and knowledge. And perhaps her general was simply taking advantage of the opportunity to harass the girl at the same time. It wouldn't surprise her.

"Octavia has been dragging me out _before dawn _to practice dancing."

Wait, since when were they having required dancing at their ceremony? That was very rare in any sort of gathering.

"And then she makes me practice my sword skills, so I can "prove my strength" by beating all challengers."

And there would _be _no challengers at their ceremony, for attacking a leader or the leader's bonded for any reason was treasonous.

"And _why _do I need three different outfits?!"

That, she had no explanation for either.

"I get the whole "figuring out how much food to provide" deal, since we're the host, but can't we have, I don't know, a hunting party for a day or two?"

That was actually a good idea, and would ease the hit to the village rations that would otherwise occur.

"Clarke."

Clarke stopped, hands freezing midair where they had been gesticulating wildly, then slowly dropping to her lap as Lexa approached.

The Commander put their food on a table then walked to the bed and seated herself behind the blonde, wrapping an arm around her waist. Clarke allowed herself to be pulled closer, relaxing into the hold. Lexa brought her mouth to her partner's ear.

"You don't need to dance for anyone but me."

She felt a shiver run down Clarke's spine.

"And not one of our people would dare raise a hand to _my _bonded."

There was no resistance when she pulled the other fully between her legs.

"Rest assured. I have sent Lincoln and Octavia out on a task for the next three days. You will have your peace."

The mood in the tent changed.

"You did that?" Clarke turned until she was on her knees, with her arms on Lexa's shoulders. "I don't have to dance? Or fight anyone? Are you sure?"

She laughed and shook her head. "No dancing. No fighting. I will go through the details with you, and tomorrow I shall tell Indra to leave you be. It is not complicated. Most will come purely for the feast afterwards."

Clarke sighed in relief, pushing Lexa back so that she could lay on top of her. "Good." she said, nuzzling the Commander's neck. "Wake me up at noon."

There was no denying that she enjoyed this position, and she indulged in it for several minutes. It was relaxing to just have Clarke in her arms, not worrying about impending war or the deadly wildlife.

But.

"Clarke. I _would _like to eat."

No answer.

"And change."

Still nothing. Checking, she realized that her partner had truly fallen asleep, most likely worn out from the long days of dancing, fighting, and being lectured. With a soft smile, she gently pushed Clarke off of her. Unfortunately, her attempt at escape was rejected by the slumbering blonde, and Lexa found herself pulled down and wrapped in strong arms.

"Clarke. Wake up."

The girl huffed, burying her face into her prisoner's chest. Lexa swallowed.

It looked like she was going to have to be creative about undressing.


End file.
